Trauma and PTSD: setting the research agenda

Up to 80% of people encounter severe adverse events in their lives (De Vries & Olff, 2009). Most people will be resilient or quickly recover from negative symptoms, but a significant proportion will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) leading to a lifetime prevalence of PTSD in about 7% (De Vries & Olff, 2009; Kessler et al., 2005). These events precipitate not only PTSD but also major depression, anxiety disorders, addiction, physical health problems, and other trauma-related disorders. Early and repeated trauma, such as child abuse or interpersonal violence, has been associated with long-term negative outcomes (Olff & Wall, 2014). Complex PTSD (CPTSD), which is a separate diagnosis for International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and has many of its symptoms now incorporated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) diagnosis of PTSD, is highly prevalent in clinical practice. Lack of recognition of mental health conequences of trauma or under-treatment is not only likely to result in chronic disorders but also in significant costs to society (“PTSD care, out of service”, 2014).